Coventry Cinemas

Coventry Rebuilt, Hi, phone in in the 20's. I doubt there were 20 phones in Foleshill and they would be shared on party lines, You would have to be very rich, surely, to have a phone in those days?

Seems, Wearethemods, it was both fire damage and bombing at the Empire re Midland Red's 478 post!

How observant you are, Mr Blue Sky. I didn't even notice the date up there. They say a picture paints a thousand words, maybe not a thousand words this time but certainly lots of detail, like the lady's neat suit she is wearing with a fur trim, definitely the 60's.

Dreamtime, it was the Corn Exchange. If you search for that in the search box you will find an excellent picture of Rob's (sorry, don't know how to link it!!)

Reading this thread reminded me my mother worked at the Astoria in Albany Rd sometime around 1956. One of her responsibilities was the ice cream seller during the interval. Those days when we had two films with a break in between. I was 10 at the time and I have to say I cannot recall anything about the interior. Whilst I'm aware the cinema closed, is the building still standing, if so what business is there now? After the film, Dad and I would go over the road to the pork bap shop whilst waiting for Mum to come out. They were good days.

The Astoria building is still there, now the Nexus music academy.

One for you Dreamtime, the interior of the Empire cinema.

Thanks Prof, a first for me, I have never viewed inside the Empire from that angle before. To me it looks larger than I thought it was.

Seeing the mention of Coventry cinemas in the past, I thought I'd recollect as many as I can recall and their whereabouts. I used to be able to count about 20 different cinemas in the 50's & 60's but have been told there were more of them before the war. We'll see how many I can remember. Here goes: First there was The Gaumont in the High Street, which later became The Odeon, after the first one closed. I used to go the "Sixpenny Rush" at the Gaumont every Saturday morning, along with hundreds of other kids to see comic book hero films like "Batman and Robin", and a feature length film like "Flash Gordon", or a cheaply made western, often in black and white. There was The Paris in Far Gosford Street, The Odeon further up the road, where the Max Buch lighting shop is now. There was The Empire in Hertford Street, where I saw many a good movie like "Tarzan goes to India" and "The Young Ones". There was The Opera House in Hales Street, and The Palladium in King William Street, Hillfields. The Globe too was near there, just up from Swanswell Pool on the same side. I believe the building is still there, and was once a nightclub. There was The Astoria in Earlsdon, which was on the left hand side going from the city centre, about 50 yards before the traffic island. I saw a Harry Belafonte movie there in the early 60's, and probably the most boring movie I think I ever watched, "Island in the sun". There was The Forum in Longfellow Road, converted to the Forum Bowling Alley in the mid-60's, and is now a furniture shop and surrounding shops. There was The Roxy on Foleshill Road, opposite Cash's Lane. The Lyric in Holbrooks, now a shop on the main road near Morrison's supermarket. I saw many a good Vincent Price horror film at The Lyric, also "The Magnificent 7". The Alexandra (fleapit) on the corner of Cox Street & Ford Street by Pool Meadow, which later changed names to Theatre One, where I used to go chat to the projectionist who was a friend of mine and worked there in the 70's. I watched "The Exorcist " from the projection room there back in 74, and saw a lady collapse in the gangway owing to the horrific content of the movie. There was also The Savoy which was on the Radford Road just before the junction with Beake Avenue, and later became Savoy Bingo Hall. My dad worked at the cinema as a doorman, I believe in late 40's. There was The Ritz too which I think was also on Foleshill Road further along from the Roxy. (I may be wrong about which was which. I get confused between The Roxy and The Ritz, so my apologies for any error there). Finally, there was The Standard on the corner of Tile Hill Lane, directly by the traffic lights there, and was also owned by The Paris Cinema owner. He often offered you a free cup of delicious coffee during the interval between the showings of the 'B' picture and the main movie. There may be more of course which I cannot recollect at present, but I hope some readers can recollect wonderful memories from the mention of these old names. I remember too as I'm sure others do, The Coventry Evening Telegraph having inside its first page a listing of films showing at each cinema, and the starting times. Long before smart phones and the Internet. I hope readers have enjoyed this look back at Coventry's past.

Can`t remember what year this was but I have a feeling it was in the 60`s. There was another one, The Dovedale which I don`t think has been mentioned.

The Dovedale and The Ritz were different names for the same cinema

The Continentale in Earlsdon Street was the Imperial. Never a favourite cinema for me. The Crown, later the Paris, was another flea pit.

Greg's list of cinemas shows The Blue Lamp showing at the Lyric which happens to have been on Talking Pictures on Boxing Day. The film was made in 1949. I tried to see it at The Prince Of Wales but could not get in as I was under age to see it at the time.

Thanks, Doug, for the comprehensive list - you should find most cinemas, if not all, that you mention, within this really interesting thread The Gaumont was actually in Jordan Well. The Astoria was between the two railway overbridges on Albany Road - quite a bit further from the traffic island.

Greg - the early fifties films, The Dovedale became the Rivoli early thirties, "The Blue Lamp" I believe was Jack Warner as a policeman. "The Wicked Lady" film caused a stir in Coventry, bit near the knuckle for those days (Maggy Lockwood and Pat Roc). Pat got in films after being a pin-up girl to the RAF. I carried a pin-up photo of her, showed the Yanks in Blackhorse Road,1943, said it was my sister, got chocolate oranges etc. "Street Car named Desire", another saucy film for its day. Bette Davies also made a name for herself from this film.